Author: theblueeyedcrafter

In past Christmases it has been difficult to find that perfect gift, that you know is out there. So today, to kick off the 12 days of Christmas fun, let’s start out with the ultimate gift guide for the knitter!

1: Knitter’s Pride Interchangeable Circular Needles

These are too nice! They truly are a knitter’a pride. Coming in a nice bag that is meant to truly last, these needles are quick and easy to interchange with a screw on system. The full set is sizes US 4 to US 11. Coming with 24″, 36″, 40″, and more cable sizes. I have broken these needles before, and they aren’t easy to break, but when they are broken you can buy replacement of just that size needle for around $7.

2: Knitter’s Pride Marblz Double Pointed Needle Set

Ranging from US 4 to US 10 these needles are easy to see the knitting with their bright colors, as well as fun to knit with. They are plastic, yet very smooth and not easily bendable although it can bend. These also have a very nice case, including a zipper and easy storage that isn’t bulky. They also have replacement needles where you can only buy one size if you aren’t ready to commit to the entire set.

3: Malabrigo Worsted Merino Yarn

Over 200 yards of worsted weight super soft 100% merino wool, this yarn is easy to knit with and even easier to buy with the good price of $12. Rangeing from many great colors from solid to the wildest multi colors, this yarn is perfect.

4: Debbie Bliss Roma Yarn

A new love for me, this is for the true wool lover. Soft, yet very warm this yarn is nice and bulky to make the perfect quick knit. 100 grams for $16 can make a beanie, and more! This yarn comes in several nice solid colors including charcoal a nice grey, dark turquoise/teal, beige/light brown and dark brown.

5: The Knit Kit

This is one of my favorites. The knit kit from Martha Stewart’s Crafts is simply a life saver. A measuring tape of 60″, needle gauge, scissors, yarn needle, stitch markers, yarn cutter, counter, and crochet hooks all in one amazing kit that is small and compact! This plastic kit is $25 and a real keeper.

If you have any questions or comments please leave your thoughts down below. If you enjoyed this post, please like and share with your friends. Thanks for reading.

There’s nothing worse than smudging the perfect nail. Then, to remove the perfect nail you smudge all the other nails with the nail polish remover. It’s an endless cycle of annoyance. You’re telling me… this doesn’t have to happen? Yes! With this quick and easy tip that nightmare can go away for good. Ready?

Supplies & Tools Needed

a Mason Jar with Lid (preferably not wide mouth)

Nail Polish Remover

a Sponge (or as many as you need to go all the way around the jar, keep in mind when the sponge is wet it is larger)

How It’s Done

As far as instructions go this is a 5 minute project for sure. First you’ll fit the sponge or sponges into the jar in order for them to go all the way around, the nail will rub on this to get the nail polish off entirely when in use.

Secondly, all you have to do is drizzle the nail polish remover over the sponge and jar. Make sure the sponge is evenly soaked as well as the jar.

For storage, screw the lid on tight and add some more nail polish remover to it if it’s dry when in use. I’ve had mine for about a month and it’s still as wet as when I first made it. Shake before use.

For use, just put the ugly nail in, rub slightly on the wet sponge and a plain, gorgeous nail comes out! No mess, no hassle, just a pretty ol’ nail.

If you have any questions or comments, please leave your thoughts in the comment section below. If you enjoyed this post, please like and share with your friends. Thanks for reading!

Wouldn’t you love to save your favorite brush from being split, and unusable? Wait, you’re telling me I can?? Yes. With this super simple trick your $30 brushes can become brand new again. What happens when a brush is heavily used, is that the bristles start to move away from each other instead of hugging each other like they should. Well what you didn’t know is that you can stop these rebellious bristles. Are you ready to rejuvenate those brushes?

Supplies Needed:

A Small Pot (about half full of water)

A Large Spoon

A Paper Towel

The Damaged Brush

An Oven

Let’s Do It

Step 1 Fill your pot about half full of water, and start the stove. It will take a few minutes to boil, but don’t let it boil very long, or your water might start boiling away.

Step 2 While you’re waiting for the water to boil, get your large spoon and a paper towel. Lay the doubled paper towel on your work surface, with the spoon near by, ready to be used.

Step 3 Once the water has come to a nice, bubbling boil dip the brush in. Do NOT put it in too deep, for instance do not go over the ferrule (the metal part) of the brush and to the handle. Once the brush has been dipped, lay it on the paper towel and quickly press the bristles together with the back of the spoon. Dip the brush and press a few more times, until the hairs are together again.

An there is the perfect brush! If you enjoyed this post, please like and share with your friends. If you have any questions or comments please state your thoughts in the comment section below.

We all have those sleepless nights. Getting to sleep can be extremely difficult, and counting sheep tends not to help, not near as much as these 3 simple sprays, in three simple ways. You can spritz, rub, or diffuse these awesome recipes for a night where you’ll be snoring before you hit the pillow. Ready?

Supplies Needed:

Method No. 1 Spritz

A Dark Glass Spray Bottle (the cobalt blue ones are adorable, and 2 oz is a great size)

Essential Oils from recipe of your choice.

Distilled Water

Method No. 2 Rub

Distilled Water

Dark Glass Roll On Bottle (the cobalt blue shaded glass is great, 1-.5 oz is a great size)

Essential Oils from recipe of your choice.

Method No. 3 Diffuse

an Essential Oil Diffuser (the recipe is made for 100 ml of water)

Water

Essential Oils for recipe of your choice.

Method No. 1 Spritz: How to Make

First, your going to fill up the glass spray bottle with distilled water to about as full as you’d like. Now add the essential oil recipe of your choice, make sure to do the spray bottle amount, or else the scent could be too weak or too strong. Shake bottle well, with cap screwed on tight. Mist spray wherever you’d like, recommended areas are the pillow, bedroom, and bed.

Method No. 2 Rub: How to Make

First, you’re going to start with the glass roll on bottle. Fill it up with distilled water, as full as you’d like the finished product to be. Now add in the essential oils of your choice, following the recipe as closely as possible and making sure to do the roll on amount, or else the scent may be too weak or strong. Cap bottle, putting the roll on ball cap on tightly, I use an old mouse pad to push it in firmly. Best areas to apply are temples, back of neck, forehead, and between eyebrows. If you have sensitive eyes don’t apply close to them, and you may want to put less drops of essential oils in. Back of neck is best if you are afraid of burning your eyes.

Method No. 3 Diffuse: How to Make

First, fill clean diffuser with water. Now drop in recommended amount of essential oils for your choice of recipe, making sure to use the diffuser amount or else the scent may be too strong or too weak. Put lid of diffuser on, and place close to bed.

Essential Oil Recipe No. 1: Cool an Refreshing Relaxation

This recipe is perfect for a refreshing, relaxing night.

Method No. 1 amount: 4 drops Lavender, 4 drops Peppermint.

Method No. 2 amount: 2 drops Lavender, 2 drops Peppermint.

Method No. 3 amount: 4-5 drops Lavender, 4-5 drops Peppermint.

Essential Oil recipe No. 2: Fall Night

This recipe is perfect for a warm, autumn night.

Method No. 1 amount: 3 drops Orange, 2 drops Clove, 2 drops Lavender.

Method No. 2 amount: 2 drops Orange, 1 drop Clove, 1 drop Lavender.

Method No. 3 amount: 4 drops Orange, 3 drops Clove, 3 drops Lavender.

Essential Oil Recipe No. 3: Immune System Boost

This recipe is perfect for allergies and colds. You can actually sleep when you’re sick.

During this pretty season, it’s not at all uncommon to want to do some sort of craftiness including the one an only, leaf. So, today, we’re going to draw the best maple leaf ever! Yes, you can do it. It’s a big fat myth that leaves are hard to draw. With this easy method that I’ve made just for you, you’ll be doodling maple leaves all day long! Are you ready to draw?

Supplies Needed

A Pencil (for your first leaf, I recommend to use a pencil so erasing is a breeze!)

Paper (anything to write on that’s gonna be easy to erase, I find paper with lines is great because it helps make everything nice an straight!)

Draw It!

1 Our first step is to draw a triangle. That’s right! A triangle! I find an acute triangle (thin) makes a better leaf. This triangle is the biggest point of your leaf, and our foundation.

2 Step number two, it only gets easier with two curved triangles on either side of the big triangle. Use those lines to make the triangles on either side nice an even!

3 Draw a smaller triangle on the sides of the triangles we created in step 2. Make sure they curve, Leaving a nice flat rounded bottom of the leaf. Erase the inside lines, leaving a clean simple leaf.

4 Now for the details! If you want to enlarge or straighten any parts of the leaf make sure you do so now before creating the details of the leaf. Start by very lightly drawing one not absolutely straight vein leading nearly to the top of the biggest point. Do the same thing for the other smaller points of the leaf.

5 Our second step of detailing the leaf, draw very small soft slightly curved lines coming from the veins we drew in step 4. Try to match your drawing up with this picture, if you think the leaf looks off.

6 Last but absolutely not least, this may be the most important step, and the easiest! Draw a line coming from the middle of the bottom of the leaf, this is the stem. If you like, make the lines of the leaf more bold.

If you like how the leaf looks, you can keep it like this, OR you can make the small triangles slightly squiggled, leaving an uneven ridgy edge to the leaf. This gives even more detail, so you may want to do this if the leaf is the most prominent thing in the drawing or painting. Here are the difference of the two methods:

If you have any questions or comments, please leave your thoughts in the comment section below. If you enjoyed this post, please like and share with your friends. Hope you have a happy fall!

If you are new to knitting, every knitter must know that the slouchy hat is essential to fall knitwear. Essential. So are you ready to knit your very own hat that will soon become your favorite? Let’s get started.

Supplies Needed:

200 Yards of Worsted or Aran weight Yarn (I used 100% merino an recommend you do too!)

Do this repeat till it is too hard to knit, switch to DPN’s (Double Pointed Needles). Do the decrease pattern until 6 stitches remain (make sure to take off stitch markers whenever you get to k2tog each stitch). Cut yarn leaving a 6″ tail, thread yarn needle. Pull yarn through each stitch, taking off needles and pulling tight. If you would like to add a Pom Pom, do so now as well as any buttons. Weave in ends.

An how simple was that? This is a perfect first hat, for any beginner knitter looking to get cozy this fall. If you have any questions or comments, please leave your thoughts in the comment section below. If you enjoyed this post, please like an share with your friends.

Today’s recipe is perfect for the true beginner in melt & pour soap. It takes about 10 minutes to make, and is only 3 ingredients, what could go wrong?

Supplies Needed Yield: 1 Bar of Soap

A Quarter Pound of White Soap Base (you can use any soap base you want as long as its white, I used Avocado Cucumber soap base to give it a subtle green tint. This recipe makes about one bar of soap, so feel free to double!)

4-5 drops of Grapefruit Essential Oil (If you’re new to adding scents, don’t add too many! only a few drops is plenty)

a Sharp Kitchen Knife (this is used for cutting the soap, it should cut smoothly an easily)

Plastic or Silicone Soap Molds

a Microwave Safe Glass Measuring Cup or Bowl

a Squirt Bottle with Rubbing Alcohol (this is for popping the air bubbles in the soap)

Tip: get all the supplies together before moving on further for an even quicker and easier process!

Let’s Start Melting & Pouring!

First things first, let’s cut the soap. Turn the soap package upside down, an lift the lid/bottom of the container off. Cut 3 of the little indented squares out with the kitchen knife, and put the three individually cut squares of soap in the bowl, into the microwave. Microwave for 20 seconds, get the soap out, and stir. If the chunks are not fully melted by stirring, pop it back in for 10 second increments stirring constantly in between until it’s absolutely liquid.

Next, take the melted soap (work quickly!! The soap will thicken VERY fast so make sure to pop it back in the microwave if it begins to harden) and add in a tablespoon of coconut oil. The hot soap should melt the coconut oil while still, stirring constantly. Now, if you have ANY subtle thickness melt it once again until it’s a liquid again before the next step.

Now, add in the grapefruit essential oil. Make sure to sniff whatever you’re putting into the soap before adding it in. Grapefruit essential oil has great properties! It keeps you focused, awake, and can increase happiness. Only add about 4-5 drops, depending on how strong you want the fragrance to be.

Fourth and nearly final, pour the soap into the soap molds. Now spritz the soap with rubbing alcohol to pop all the air bubbles. This recipe makes about one bar of soap, because all the recipes that I’ve looked at makes pounds an pounds of soap, and I just didn’t really know if I was going to like the soap that much and would end up quartering and quartering those recipes. It’s always a good idea to make one bar, see if you like it, then make a lot.

Fifth and final, after about 30 minutes to an hour depending on humidity, pop the fully hardened soap out of the mold. Silicone molds will be easier to remove soap from then plastic molds, so keep this in mind while shopping for soap supplies. Voila!! This is a very gentle soap, so feel free to use it on your face. It’s excellent to have at the kitchen sink as well.

If you enjoyed this post, please like and share with your friends! If you have any questions or comments, please leave your thoughts in the comment section below.